Long Duck Dong

Every morning I open my eyes and look around my bedroom, my simple safe zone.... outside of this room, is a world and society that will be friends, family, loved ones and yes, those that will debate, oppose and challenge me constantly.

I am not your average married person with 2.4 children, a wife, a mortgage, a white picket fence, with a 9 to 5 job and salary, suit and tie... I am a person that bears scars on my body, in my heart and mind, because I have lived.... no, change that... I have survived.... living is reserved for the people that lead sheltered lives full of privilege

I have battled and won against myself when the wars of sexuality, depression, heartbreak, loneliness, and many more foes conspired against me, I had to face down myself on so many levels and defeat each enemy with understanding, logic, compassion and acceptance.....

Finally I win each battle within myself, and I stand up to tell the world about my hard won victory, and society can be like a crowded new york street... each person wrapped up in their own battles, their own wars.... so I become a human pin ball, bouncing from pillar to post....
and it becomes harder every day to remember that they are no different to me and that I am no different to them..... we are all human and all fighting our own wars......

I remember a lesson that I was once taught.... and that is to walk down the street and smile at the people rushing by, some will ignore me, some will look at me like I have lost my mind,.. and some.... will smile back at me..... because they know, as well as I know.. that we are not alone, there are others that share the understanding of our battle to be ourselves.....

so I am smiling at you and giving a simple nod of my head as we past on that busy, crowded street with people rushing by..... and I am hoping that you will smile at somebody else... and so on..... and that one day, I will be walking down that street and somebody will smile at me and nod.....

That is your legacy, and my legacy..... our smiles went around the world like a boomerang, shared from person to person, across countries and continents, so many people realising that they are not alone either.... a simple legacy of a smile....

why do I smile... ? cos I can..... and cos I just made you nod and smile as well..... share the legacy :)...... and I may give you a hug and a kiss to keep the smile going